Overview
- Williams confirmed it will skip the Jan. 26–30 Barcelona shakedown and instead run a Virtual Test Track programme and other factory tests.
- The team says it is targeting participation in both official Bahrain tests on Feb. 11–13 and Feb. 18–20 ahead of the Melbourne season opener on March 6–8.
- Multiple outlets report the FW48 has struggled to clear FIA crash tests and may be overweight, though Williams publicly attributes the move only to programme delays.
- Missing Barcelona cuts a third of potential pre-season mileage, leaving Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz, at best, three days each in the car across the Bahrain sessions.
- The setback comes during F1’s major 2026 rules overhaul and recalls Williams’ missed early running in 2019, as several rivals have already completed initial shakedowns.